Do you let your dc have toy weapons?

[muldersspeedos]

I've always been against guns in particular and ds would like a nerf gun. I've explained to him that he won't be getting one but I wondered what others think about weapons as toys?

yes to water pistols, swords, and a particulary epic bow and arrow set from Leeds Armouries. Also have hosted a Laser tag party recently.

I don't like violent games, but the dc have water guns, nerf guns (though they shoot at targets, not at people), also lightsabers, foam swords and bow and arrows.

They use the within role-playing games where they are hero's and rescuing people, rather than to roleplay war or harming others.

@bebanjo

The most common murder weapon in the uk is a kitchen knife, would you allow one of these in your home? Fire arms are incredibly restricted, you can’t just nip into Tesco and get one. Having toy guns does not make someone violent, in the same why as a chemistry set will not make a child a scientist.

This is what I think too. Toy guns in this house and they enjoy playing with them. If something is "banned" I always think it makes it all the more appealing. They also enjoy playing with their cousins dolls.

I don't really like Nerf or any toy guns. But, as per a PP, as soon as they go to other people's homes, they get access to them so it can be a losing battle. They know my views on them, though

Light sabers I'm less bothered about. I don't know anyone who has been killed by one.

I absolutely would not allow toy knives or blades. In anyone's house.

Mine had them.

They’re now late teens, living in a US state where more than 50% of people have a gun in their home, and they have zero interest in owning or using guns.

I encouraged them to learn about firearms so they know how to be safe if they encounter one. They were not in the slightest bit interested.

They just turn fingers or sticks into guns. Personally (as someone whose DP has a gun licence), the more you restrict people from things the more likely they are to want them. No different to craving chocolate when dieting. Learning how to respect things is more important. I should say DP only does targets shooting never ever animals.

I can't see the point of banning them either tbh. To those that do, what do you do when your kid is invited to a laser quest or paintball party?

My 9 year old has nerf guns and had an epic nerf gun party for his birthday, the whole class loved it. He also has his own shotgun. He understands the difference and it is obviously only used under heavy supervision by my husband or I(we are both license holders). It’s a great sport and he absolutely loves it, and is getting really good at it. We regularly go shooting as a family.

He has some. Not keen. He bought his own. Also turned things like the palm cross into a sword. Plays on Minecraft killing other "minecrafters"

Presumably you also won't allow light sabres and Harry Potter Wands

Personally I think the "no toy as a weapon" thing is stupid - we all had them and so did every generation proceeding us and none of us particularly turned out with a predisposition towards violence did we??

Nerf guns of all kinds/sizes/colours/type of shot yes. Aqua blaster water shooter things of course, as part of our outdoor summer live in the shed stuff.

No toy guns and arrows have never been on our radar so not even considered them. However we've all tried archery with the local club, great fun for teenagers.

Our daughters have had toy bow & arrow sets and swords/lightsabers...their toys have guns but I can't remember them ever having guns as toys. Oh and a shield that fires discs.

It just all formed part of the imaginative play, most of the scenarios involved the 'weapons' being used as tools to help traverse the floor which was lava or get through jungles wardrobes full of clothes

My youngest currently has a 'staff' which is arguably a weapon but she largely uses it as a stick to accompany our treks into the wilds local trail next to the river but occasionally it's used in Gandalf fashion to prohibit someone passing!

I think banning toys of any kind piques a child's interest into why they're forbidden and encourages the wrong kind of association.

We never planned to allow them but my son was given them as birthday presents and I didn't have the heart to take them off him. I don't see any need to buy them, there are a zillion other things to play with these days.

Yes. My kids love them. Toy weapons do not mean kids are going to move into gun crime as adults.

Yes, I don't think they turn children into mass murderers. If you don't give them toy guns they use sticks.

Nerf guns, swords, bows and arrows and cap guns here. No problem with it, so long as he wears goggles when playing with them.

@RicherThanYew

My son has more guns/swords/shields/costumes than any other kind of toy. Despite me being heavily pregnant and swearing it would never happen It's difficult to describe the type of play he/we do with them because it is quite silly. Usually a teddy is in mortal peril and needs rescuing from the evil overlord (our fat Labrador) and there's much theatrical nonsense if that makes sense? The toy weapons arent necessarily about violence per se but it is a bummer. On a side note, I did see a Nerf crossbow in pink 😊

Yes DS 14 had that when he was about 9. It's like a Barbie crossbow. When Nerf try to include girls they're still sexist.

Yes. Ds has always loved Nerf guns, bows and arrows, light sabres etc. He's a very well-behaved boy with no violent tendencies (unlike quite a few of the kids he goes to school with). Toy weapons do not make kids violent.

Mine had toy guns. A cowboy rifle, nerf guns, toy pistols, space guns and action men with toy guns.
They are both adults now and neither one has turned into a violent criminal type.

Ds has a huge nerf collection. And at 10,is very chilled and not violent. My dd also had them, now 18.

Neither seem to have become criminals.

We've had an entire (toy) arsenal over the years. They've all had weapons training and experience at cadets as well. They've never been the types to lash out, and are far less intrigued by guns etc then I am (I've never held a gun, expect for at Laser Quest 30 years ago).

I won't buy my 5 year old a toy gun as I think he's too young to even know what a gun is really.

When he's a bit older I'll probably let him have a nerf gun thing

Nothing knife related here but then a close relative was stabbed to death so have a very strong opinion on it...

2 grandsons here.

My experience is that if you don't buy them, they make them. Lego, cardboard, parts of a marble run, all end up as guns and swords. They have owned a Star Wars light sabers and Minecraft swords, but I draw the line at toy guns.

When my boys were very little, I always thought we would avoid weapons as toys. As a PP said though, they will just improvise instead. They are out the other side now (ie much older) and I can report that we have had pretty much every toy weapon you can think of with no ill effects.